Chapter 104

Killian:

“What do you mean that his body wasn’t there, Vladimir?” I asked, turning to face my beta, watching as he took a deep breath. 

“We have been searching each body, one by one, and we are positive that it is not there, Alpha.” He said, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was just what I needed right now. A missing bastard who I knew would not only come back for a revenge that I am going to be sure to make him pay for, but to frighten my beauty who was still weak despite not showing it.

It has been a month since everything has happened, and I know for fact that she neither got over being kidnapped regardless of the smile, nor has Natasha recovered from losing the baby. The fact that she knew that she would never be able to have a child again was something that I knew broke her inside, and though I wanted to do my best to make it up to her, I knew that Nikolai broke a lot more in her than she is letting out.

“I don’t care what it takes, Vladimir, the man is to be found, and I am going to be sure that he is not dead before he begs for it.” I said, and he nodded. I knew that this was something that I was somewhat happy about. The idea of Eleanor getting her revenge, if a little, by stabbing him and watching him fall the way that she did was good; but I won’t deny being disappointed that he got an easy death. This time, I was going to be sure to be the one to make him pay for what he did to her.

“Don’t worry, the men are already searching the perimeter,” he said, and I nodded. “Are you going to tell Eleanor?” 

“Yes,” I said, and he frowned in confusion. “I am not going to do it to scare her, but I know that she can’t live thinking that he is dead for him to one day appear, and believe me, she is not going to be able to get over it if I did that to her. I don’t want to put her through that,” 

“I will be sure to do my best,” he said, and I nodded, dismissing him. He walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the office, and I couldn’t help but find myself getting lost in my thoughts. The fact that the man ran away was odd to me, especially considering the burning building, the knife, and the impact that he had as he fell. Therefore, for him to be awake and to have the energy to run, that was something that I didn’t understand.

The office door was knocked, and I smiled, getting up as I caught my mate’s scent. The fact that she was here was something that I was more than happy about. “Come in, malyshka.”

She opened the door, and I smiled when she put a hand on her swollen stomach. She looked at me and I nodded at her to come in. 

“You know that you of all people don’t have to wait in front of the door to be called inside, baby.” I said, my voice softening and she smiled as I walked toward her. I cupped her cheeks, and kissed her forehead. She smiled when she heard me purring, and I rested my forehead against hers, watching as she ran her finger over my chest. 

“I know, you always tell me not to, but you know that I always will.” She said, making me chuckle. “Something is bothering you.”

“What makes you think that?” I asked, shaking my head in question and she smiled, looking up at me. 

“You normally kiss and drag me to your desk when you’re not bothered, but now you just seem to be lost in thoughts.” She said, making my heart swell. She looked up at me and shook her head in question, waiting for an explanation. One that I didn’t know how I was going to give her without hurting or scaring her. 

“You know that we’ve been looking into the bodies of those who died in that building. Some who have been sent to their families to be buried, I am not a monster yet, and I chose to give them the chance to at least grieve over their loved ones.” I said, and she nodded, smiling softly at me. It was a way for me to introduce her as the new Alpha of their pack, and though she wanted nothing to do with it, it was her right by blood, and I didn’t want to take it from her.

“We didn’t find his body in the building.” I said, and she frowned in confusion before her eyes widened. Her heartbeat was calm despite that, and she nodded, waiting for an explanation. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, even though I didn't know how things got to where they were right now. It was something that I knew that she understood, and that was something that hurt me. If anything, the last thing that I would have wanted for her was to feel like she might be under threat.

“I am sure that you might have a plan on how to find him.” She said, and I raised an eyebrow at her reaction. “There is no use of me being scared or worried when I have you as my mate. Plus, there is the fact that I am guessing, a wild guess only, that deep down you never wanted him to be dead in the first place.”

“I take it as a greenlight to what I want to do to him when we have found him?” I asked, and she nodded.

“But the main question is, how did he manage to escape?” She asked, shaking her head. “Most of those that were on his side either ran away, were dead, or dying. How would he have managed to escape despite the injuries, the fire, and his fall? And I am sure that I have stabbed him deep enough to at least take him off guard,”

“That is what I intend to find out, but rest assured that I am not going to be merciful to either him or the person that helped him.” I said, and she nodded. 

“I trust that you won’t.” She said, making my heart swell. “Now, for the reason that I came.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, and she intertwined our fingers before she took a step back and opened the door, looking to the side, and growing curious, I followed her. My eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a small bag that was beside the door. She went to bend to pick it up, but I stopped her and did it instead. Her eyes met mine and she nodded at me, watching as I pulled the box out of it.

“Happy birthday,” she said, making my eyes widen before she took a step toward me. This was the first birthday gift that I got since my sister died, especially since she passed away two days after my birthdate. “I came to wish you a happy birthday, Killian…”